RECIPE: Marc Matsumoto’s Yuzu Tuna Penne

A quick weeknight pasta can be a lifesaver when things happen and you're left scrambling to put dinner together. Yuzu gosho and shio konbu are truly heroic because they can transform a basic pantry pasta into something extraordinarily delicious. This sauce is just a simple emulsion of garlicky olive oil with the starchy boiling liquid from the pasta. The shio konbu infuses this with loads of umami, while the yuzu gosho gives it a zesty, peppery kick, smoothing over any fishy notes from the canned tuna. 

Servings: 2-3 

Ingredients

• 140 gram (5 oz) can solid tuna in oil
• 250 grams (9 oz) penne pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 7 grams (1 very large clove) garlic, minced
• 80 grams (3 oz) snap peas, trimmed and cut in half
• 10 grams (0.35 oz) shio konbu
• 2 teaspoons yuzu kosho

Instructions

1. Drain the excess oil from the can of tuna and set it aside. 
2. Bring about 5 cups of well-salted water to a boil and boil the pasta according to the package directions. Wait until the pasta is about 3 minutes away from being done before proceeding with the remaining steps.
3. Add the olive oil and garlic to a large frying pan over medium heat and saute until the garlic is fragrant and tender but not yet browned. 
4. Add the snap peas and stir-fry until they're vibrant green but still crisp. 
5. When the pasta is done, transfer it directly into the pan with the snap peas using a slotted spoon and add a ladleful of the boiling liquid into the pan, along with the shio konbu and yuzu gosho. 
6. Dissolve the yuzu gosho in the liquid and then toss (or stir vigorously) until the sauce thickens up a bit and evenly coats the pasta. 
7. Add the tuna and break it up into large chunks and toss to distribute evenly. If the pasta starts getting dry at any time, add some more pasta boiling liquid. Serve immediately. 

Recipe courtesy of our friend Marc Matsumoto of No Recipes